Saucer Country Returns as Saucer State

Saucer Country ended in 2013. It was a Vertigo series by Paul Cornell (Wolverine, Captain Britain and MI:13) and Ryan Kelly (Survivors’ Club, Local) that ran 14 issues. It combined alien invasion conspiracy, political intrigue, and points of cultural concern. The lead character was a governor, running for president, who may have been abducted by aliens. At the end of the series, she’d just been elected.

Now comes news that the series will return as Saucer State from IDW next year. They’ll also release an omnibus of the previous issues.

I’m looking forward to it. I think comics have a lot of potential to comment on social issues, using fantastic elements in symbolic or satirical or insightful ways. Goodness knows that politics right now is crazy enough that it’s hard to come up with anything too exaggerated, but that’s where the external element of the potential alien encounter comes in. This interview with the creators goes into more detail about the setup.

Every time a creator-owned series returns, I’m reminded of how important it is to own your work. Then you can keep it visible or work out a new deal. (It probably doesn’t hurt that IDW and DC have worked together in the past, including crossover publications.)

Update: The first issue of what’s now a six-issue miniseries will be available May 10, 2017, at a cover price of $3.99. It can be ordered from comic shops with Diamond code MAR17 0564.